Millions of Websites Vulnerable Due To Security Bug In Popular PHP Script

An anonymous reader writes from a report via BleepingComputer: A security flaw discovered in a common PHP class allows knowledgeable attackers to execute code on a website that uses a vulnerable version of the script, which in turn can allow an attacker to take control over the underlying server. The vulnerable library is PHPMailer, a PHP script that allows developers to automate the task of sending emails using PHP code, also included with WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and more. The vulnerability was fixed on Christmas with the release of PHPMailer version 5.2.18. Nevertheless, despite the presence of a patched version, it will take some time for the security update to propagate. Judging by past incidents, millions of sites will never be updated, leaving a large chunk of the Internet open to attacks. Even though the security researcher who discovered the flaw didn’t publish any in-depth details about his findings, someone reverse-engineered the PHPMailer patch and published their own exploit code online, allowing others to automate attacks using this flaw, which is largely still unpatched due to the holiday season. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

See the article here:
Millions of Websites Vulnerable Due To Security Bug In Popular PHP Script

Uber Launches ‘Uber Freight’ Website To Prepare the World For Autonomous Delivery Trucks

Uber has launched a website for a service called Uber Freight. While there are little details about the company’s expansion from ride-hailing, Uber Freight is meant to prepare the world for autonomous delivery trucks, according to Inverse. From the report: Uber acquired a startup called Otto, which planned to bring the first self-driving trucks to market, in August. Since then the company has used its trucks to deliver 50, 000 cans of beer and hundreds of Christmas trees in San Francisco. This new service won’t use those trucks, at least not at the beginning. Instead it will function much like Uber’s existing platform: Some people will sign up to drive items across the country, and others will join so they can send packages without having to sign a contract with established shipping companies. The service will likely bring “surge pricing” to trucking, too. Uber Freight could also help Otto’s trucks by using data gathered from drivers on the platform. This would allow the self-driving vehicles to learn from experienced people while regulators figure out how to govern autonomous trucks and the technology catches up to all of the promises made by its creators. Uber Freight’s launch coincides with growing interest in trucking from many tech companies. Nikola Motor Company wants to use tech to make trucking more environmentally friendly and appealing to millennials; Tesla’s working on self-driving trucks; the list could go on. Uber told Inverse it’s going to wait until the new year to elaborate on how the system works. “We don’t have any new information to share at the moment, ” a spokesperson said, “but hope to in the new year so please do stay in touch.” It looks like the future of trucking — or at least one potential future — is going to take a little while longer to make its debut. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

View post:
Uber Launches ‘Uber Freight’ Website To Prepare the World For Autonomous Delivery Trucks

HandBrake 1.0.0 Released After 13 Years Of Development

HandBrake, popular open source video transcoder, has finally hit version 1.0.0 affter spending roughly more than 13 years in development. HandBrake 1.0.0 brings tons of new presets and support for more devices and file types. From a report: HandBrake 1.0.0 comes with new web and MKV presets. The official presets from HandBrake 0.10.x can be found under ‘Legacy.’ New Jason-based preset system, including command line support, has been added. The additional features of HandBrake are title/chapter selection, queuing up multiple encodes, chapter markers, subtitles, different video filters, and video preview. Just in case you have a compatible Skylake or later CPU, Intel QuickSync Video H.265/HEVC encoder support brings performance improvements. HandBrake 1.0.0 also brings along new online documentation beta. It’s written in a simple and easy-to-understand language.You can download it here. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

See original article:
HandBrake 1.0.0 Released After 13 Years Of Development

FreeDOS 1.2 Is Finally Released

Very long-time Slashdot reader Jim Hall — part of GNOME’s board of directors — has a Christmas gift. Since 1994 he’s been overseeing an open source project that maintains a replacement for the MS-DOS operating system, and has just announced the release of the “updated, more modern” FreeDOS 1.2! [Y]ou’ll find a few nice surprises. FreeDOS 1.2 now makes it easier to connect to a network. And you can find more tools and games, and a few graphical desktop options including OpenGEM. But the first thing you’ll probably notice is the all-new new installer that makes it much easier to install FreeDOS. And after you install FreeDOS, try the FDIMPLES program to install new programs or to remove any you don’t want. Official announcement also available at the FreeDOS Project blog. FreeDOS also lets you play classic DOS games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem, and Jill of the Jungle — and today marks a very special occasion, since it’s been almost five years since the release of FreeDos 1.1. “If you’ve followed FreeDOS, you know that we don’t have a very fast release cycle, ” Jim writes on his blog. “We just don’t need to; DOS isn’t exactly a moving target anymore…” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

More:
FreeDOS 1.2 Is Finally Released

IBM On Track To Get More Than 7,000 US Patents In 2016

IBM wants to put the patent war in perspective. Big Blue said that it is poised to get the most U.S. patents of any tech company for the 24th year in a row. From a report on VentureBeat: In 2015, IBM received more than 7, 355 patents, down slightly from 7, 534 in 2014. A spokesperson for IBM said the company is on track to receive well over 7, 000 patents in 2016. In 2016, IBM is also hitting another interesting milestone, with more than 1, 000 patents for artificial intelligence and cognitive computing. IBM has been at it for more than a century, and it is seeking patents in key strategic areas — such as AI and cognitive computing. In fact, one-third of IBM’s researchers are dedicated to cognitive computing. IBM CEO Ginni Rometty said during the World of Watson conference in October that the company expects to reach more than 1 billion consumers via Watson by the end of 2017. (Watson is the supercomputer that beat the world’s best Jeopardy player in 2011.) Read more of this story at Slashdot.

View article:
IBM On Track To Get More Than 7,000 US Patents In 2016

Ebola Vaccine Gives 100 Percent Protection, Could Be Readily Available By 2018

According to a study published in the Lancet medical journal on Thursday, an experimental vaccine against the Ebola virus was found to be 100 percent effective. The results offer hope of better protection against the disease that ravaged West Africa in 2014, killing more than 11, 000 people. From a report on BBC: A highly effective vaccine that guards against the deadly Ebola virus could be available by 2018, says the World Health Organization. Trials conducted in Guinea, one of the West African countries most affected by an outbreak of Ebola that ended this year, show it offers 100% protection. The vaccine is now being fast-tracked for regulatory approval. Manufacturer Merck has made 300, 000 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine available for use should Ebola strike. GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, provided $5m for the stockpile. Results, published in The Lancet medical journal, show of nearly 6, 000 people receiving the vaccine, all were free of the virus 10 days later. In a group of the same size not vaccinated, 23 later developed Ebola. Only one person who was vaccinated had a serious side effect that the researchers think was caused by the jab. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

See the article here:
Ebola Vaccine Gives 100 Percent Protection, Could Be Readily Available By 2018

BitTorrent Live’s ‘Cable Killer’ P2P Video App Finally Hits iOS

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: BitTorrent has now done for live video what it did for file downloads: invented peer-to-peer technology that moves the burden of data transfer from a centralized source to the crowd. Instead of cables and satellites, BitTorrent piggybacks on the internet bandwidth of its users. Since P2P live streaming is so much cheaper than traditional ways to deliver live content, BitTorrent could pay channel owners more for distribution per viewer. And BitTorrent can offer that content to viewers for free or much cheaper than a cable subscription. The transfer technology and the app that aggregates these channels are both called BitTorrent Live. Now, almost a year after the protocol’s debut on smart TVs, and six months after it was supposed to arrive on iPhone, the BitTorrent Live app quietly became available on iOS this week. Until now it’s only existed on Mac, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV — much less popular platforms. And that’s after being in development since 2009. The app features 15 channels, including NASA TV, France One, QVC Home and TWiT (This Week In Tech) that you can watch live. The latency is roughly 10 seconds, which could be faster than terrestrial cable, as well as systems like Sling TV that can delay content more than a minute. The problem right now is that BitTorrent Live has a pretty lackluster channel selection. It’s still working on striking deals with more name-brand channels. It could offer some for pay-per-view, but cheaper than the same content on traditional TV due to the reduced broadcasting costs. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Visit link:
BitTorrent Live’s ‘Cable Killer’ P2P Video App Finally Hits iOS

Bitcoin Circulation Hits Record High Of $14 Billion

Bitcoin, the digital currency that most people have never actually used, has hit a record value of $14 billion after jumping 5 percent on Thursday. From a report on The Guardian: The price of one bitcoin reached $875 on the Europe-based Bitstamp exchange, its strongest level since January 2014, putting the cryptocurrency on track for its best daily performance in six months. That compared with levels around $435 at the start of the year, with many experts linking bitcoin’s rise with the steady depreciation of the Chinese yuan, which has slid almost 7% in 2016. Data shows the majority of bitcoin trading is done in China, so any increase in demand from there tends to have a significant impact on the price. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Originally posted here:
Bitcoin Circulation Hits Record High Of $14 Billion

What Do Luxury Sleeper Cabs for Long-Haul Truck Drivers Look Like?

The life of a long-haul trucker can be tough, even when they’re not behind the wheel. When it’s time to get some shuteye in the truck’s cab, some of them have a scant 36″ behind the seats in which to stuff a twin mattress, and there’s barely enough room to turn around back there, let alone get dressed and undressed. And for the trucker who brings their spouse on the road—yes, husband-and-wife trucker teams exist—it’s simply not enough space for two people to live out of. For those that can pony up for a larger cab, an Indiana-based company called ARI Legacy Sleepers specializes in tricking them out with custom packages suited to the customer’s tastes. Let’s take a look at some of their work. First off, if you see a cab that’s this size, you can bet there’s more behind the rear seats than just a twin mattress. And you’d be right. When you look back between the seats, here’s what you see: And here’s the view looking fore: Overhead is a small, subtle lighting trick that provides the illusion of more space: Using a mirror and one-way mirror to provide “infinity lighting, ” making the LEDS look like they stretch off forever overhead. Close the curtains to the “cockpit” and enjoy your flatscreen in peace. There’s plenty of storage both above and below the kitchen counter, which features an electric stovetop and a sink. When not in use, both have covers that conceal them, providing uninterrupted counter space. This photo below is not the exact same interior, but you get the idea. Also note the mirror above the sink, so the driver can shave. Opposite the counter is a sofa and a little nook to the right of it. You’ll notice a cable management port at back right; one can place a computer, laptop or gaming system here. To the right of that is a door, and the toilet paper holder on the inside of it has probably clued you in… …yep, they’ve got a bathroom in here. A wall-mounted dispenser obviates the need for shelving. Moving back inside the cabin, we see the sofa, which of course has storage beneath it. You might think, “Is that where the driver sleeps?” Not exactly; note the dual tracks in the wall. An elevator bed motors down at the touch of a button. For cabs where there is no rear door, the sofa and bed arrangement can be placed across the rear wall. And as you can see here, the choice of lighting strongly impacts your perception of the space. The lighting scheme in this one here reminds me of The Peach Pit from the original Beverly Hills 90210. And this one below is like The Peach Pit but with hardwood floors. With spaces this small, the materials choice also makes a profound visual impact. This one here is owned by a married couple who both go on the road together, and I imagine it must recall what their actual home looks like, aesthetically: Another customer has opted to have his look like more of a bachelor pad: And for drivers who plan to do some open-air sightseeing during downtime, there’s an option to haul your Harley. Yep, if you’ve got the space you can have a motorcycle “garage” with side-loading ramp installed: You can check out more of ARI’s custom designs here , and they also have a good amount of photos on their Facebook page .

More:
What Do Luxury Sleeper Cabs for Long-Haul Truck Drivers Look Like?

2016 MacBook Pro Fails To Receive a Recommendation From Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports has released its evaluation of the new MacBook Pro laptops, and it’s not good. The 2016 MacBook Pro is the first MacBook to fail to receive a recommendation from the nonprofit organization dedicated to unbiased product testing. 9to5Mac reports: In a post breaking down the decision not to recommend the new MacBook Pros, Consumer Reports explains that while the new models held up well in terms of display quality and performance, the battery life issues were too big of an issue to overlook. The organization tested three MacBook Pro variants: a 13-inch Touch Bar model, a 15-inch Touch Bar model, and a 13-inch model without the Touch Bar. The general consensus was that “MacBook Pro battery life results were highly inconsistent from one trial to the next.” Consumer Reports explains that the 13-inch Touch Bar model saw battery life of 16 hours in one test and 3.75 hours in another, while the non-Touch Bar model maxed out at 19.5 hours, but also lasted just 4.5 hours in another test. The 15-inch model ranged from 18.5 hours to 8 hours. Generally, according to the report, it’s expected for battery life to vary from one trial to another by less than 5 percent, meaning that the battery life variances with the new MacBook Pro are very abnormal. Once that was completed, Consumer Reports experimented by conducting the same test using Chrome and “found battery life to be consistently high on all six runs.” While the organization can’t let that affect its final decision due to its protocol to only use the first-party browser, it’s something users may want to try. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Read the original post:
2016 MacBook Pro Fails To Receive a Recommendation From Consumer Reports